Impact of an empowerment program on young mothers in Ba Province, Fiji

Abstract

Background: Disempowerment is both a cause and effect of unplanned pregnancies in young girls and women. An “Empowerment of Disadvantaged Young Mothers” program was implemented between January 2017 and March 2018 in western Viti Levu, Fiji, to improve young mothers’ knowledge of reproductive health, chance of employment, self-reliance and agency. Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of the “Empowerment of Disadvantaged Young Mothers” program implemented by the Viseisei Sai Health Centre, Lautoka, Fiji. Methods: This is a mixed method retrospective study using quantitative and qualitative data from project records. Findings: There were 89 participants in the program who resided across 22 communities. Almost 75% reported not using a contraceptive as the reason for their unplanned pregnancy. Analysis of pre- and post-program assessment found increases in the number of mothers employed (5.6% vs 27.3%; p=